The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-18
ABALLO0N'S AWFULDROP
PERIL, OF PASSENGERS IN KINGS
GREAT NORTHWEST"

A sudden Fall from an Altitude of
5000 Feet to 5O-Banged Against
the Ground, in the Car Again and
Again-Fruitless Beseeching of Spec
tators to Seize the Rope-A Very
Narrow Escape.
From the Ne,c York World
The voyage of Prof. Samuel A. Kings
balloon, Great Northwest, y from Memorial
Hall Failmount Park, Philadelphia, Satur-
day afternoon, will go on record as remark
able for many reasons. Conspicuous among
its extraordinary characteristics was the
ascension of a party of seven people to an
altitude of $500 feet, and a safe landing in
the face of seemingly inevitable disaster.
At ABS o'clock the party to make the as,
tension were in the car, the cable was
slipped, and the "Great Northwest" shot
straight up into the air. This was Prof
Kings party; Prof Henry A. Hazen, of the
limited States signal service; Roscoe M.
King, the aeronaut's son; Claude G. Whet-
stone, of the Philadelphia Times; George
". Symonds, of the Philadelphia Press,
Ernest A. King, and reporter. 1t was
Prof. Kings 2S7th ascension, his sons
second, Mr. Whetstone's first, Mr.. Symond's
sixth, and Mr.. Ernest A. Kings seventh.
The ascent was made in an almost direct
line to about 500 feet, where the air-ship
hung over the heads of the crowd. 1t was a
curious sight to look from such height on
the faces of so many people, who shouted
and waved farewell with handkerchiefs
hats and umbrellas. There were 500 pounds
of ballast sand in bags in the car, and all
hands set to work to trim ship and stow
cargo for the voyage. Each man had
bought a very substantial luncheon, and
these bundles were placed where they would
be safe. The ballast was shifted anu every
thing made snug. The car was large, built
in such way that wicker-work seat
ran entirely around it. Prof Hazen de-
nOsited his instruments about him and
worked his sling pyschrometer indefatiga-
bly,.
There was no breeze, and the balloon hung
over Memorial Hall for some time. At4:43
o'clock Prof. Hazen announced an altitude
of 1000 feet. At 4:54 o'clock an altitude of
1000 feet was announced and still there
was no breeze of consequence. The balloon
driftly idly over the Schuylkill river in an
east-northeasterly direction.
Lett@s thrown over by the newspaper
men ware watched till they touched ground.
1t was very amusing to see people follow
their course as they fell, and miscalculated
the spot and run in crowds to get them.
Inc correspondent al O:Ui O'CLOCK, aU all dlUl-
tude of $500 feet, threw over a dispatch,
which appeared in the issue of yesterday
morning 1t was watched till it fluttered
to the ground. A man was plainly seen to
pick it up. He complied with the request
written on the envelope to take it to the
nearest telegraph station.
WAITING FOR A BREEZE.
At clock the altitude was LOO feet,
at SILL, $500 and at 5 30 2, 700 feet. By this
time a small quantity of ballast had been
thrown over, which produced the effect of
thin cloud of smoke as it fell. There was
still no breeze, and the balloon tloated along
over the Eastern Penitentiary, still keeping
in an eaSt-southerly direction. At this time
little discomfort was experienced from
the fumes of escaping gas, the breeze not
being strong enough to carry it away. Prof.
Hazen told the boys that if they felt a pres
sure on the drums of their ears, to swallow
and that would relieve them.
The Delaware river was crossed at 6:12
o'clock at an altitude of $500 feet,
Just below Ridgeway Park and Wind
mill Island The balloon still kept moving
along in an east-southeasterly direction.
Crossing the Delaware, lunch baskets were
opened and substantial meal was enjoyed
by all but Prof Hazen, who would not
abandon his psychrometer for an instant.
By this time considerable ballast had been
thrown over. AT frequent intervals, as the
balloon assembled and descended, cool and
warm strata of air were encountered and
at times one of the party complained of
cold feet and hands. Another said that he
had feeling which usually accompanied
three drinks of Bourbon whiskey four fin
gers deep.
Cooper's creek about one-fourth of mile
east of the Delaware river was crossed at
an altitude of 4, 900 feet, and the tempera-
ture was about 90 degrees.
The course of the balloon was still east
southeasterly over the Jersey plantations.
The view was very beautiful. As far as
the eye could reach, the green, cultivated
ies3s sts'etched. Here and there little darker
g:osn e!urnps of trees and villages could be
distinguished, and everywhere farm houses.
Eapongh opera-glasses people could be seen
Standing in farm yards and in rOadways
siffing, upward. Marshy meadows, in
wsiehmyriadS of frogs sang, were seen be-
low. The various shades of green which
the landscape presented defy description.
~ A FRIGHTFUL DESCENT.
+, At 6:42 O'Clock the balloon began to fall
SO rapidly that Prof Hazen's toy pilot bal
loon went to join its big brother aloft. The
tissue paper streamer, which is used as an
indicator of rise or fall, chased it, and bal
last thrown over rose upwared like cloud.
The descent was checked, however. by a
liberal overthrow of ballast "Don't look
up boys or you'll get your eyes filled with
sand" warned Prof. Hazen aud Prof. King
In the same breath.
-, The reporter was looking over the edge of
the car when this remarkably rapid descent
was begun. The landscape then was of a
variety of shades of faded green in places,
where corn and other crops were in a state
OF cultivation When the rapid fall began
IL seemed as if the ground came out of a
misty haze Rows of corn and potatoes be-
came plainly apparent, like sheaves of vivid
green across dull gray background. Down,
down, down, the Great Northwest" shot,
until the tips of the cornstalks could be
plainly seen. The drag-rope, which trailed
90 feet from the car, struck ground and was
drawn along over the corntops, making a
peculiar rushing sound Ballast in large
Quantities was thrown out and the sand
made sound like the patter Of rain as it
struck the leaves of the corn. As rapid as
was the descent, even more rapid was the
rise. Up went the balloon, reaching the
highest altitude of the voyage, $500 feet, at
ei4 o'clock Here the lowest temperature,
o. was recorded. n
At 6;57 O'clock the ''Great Northwest" was
TWO miles east of Chews Landing, N. j., ut
an altitude of about 8, 900 feet.
frof. King said that it was plainly appa-
rent that long voyage could not be made,
ana that the party must soon attempt to
Isnd as ne did not care to make descent
after dark. The balloon slowly descended
until IL reached n ciirrant of mir which turn